It’s been quite a week, but I’ve been meaning to write a more substantial update here for some time. I figure I should finish and publish this as I move into another week and a new lunar cycle. Much of this entry has been hanging out in my draft folder for several days. Why the delay? My Grove has been saddened by the loss of a grovemate and friend, so we’ve been coming to terms with that. I will write more on our friend and the transition another day. Northern Rivers Grove will honor him during our Spring Equinox celebration. It’s bound to be one of the hardest rituals I’ve ever lead, but it’s important to mark this passage. My thoughts have been dwelling on death, rebirth, and how to best support my grovemates.

Today I want to share some of the other work I’ve been doing to deepen my Druidry. I’ve continued my slow progress through Trance-Portation by Paxson. I’ve forced myself to take time on the initial exercises. I think it’s important to revisit the basics once in awhile, and I know there’s much I could improve. Shielding, grounding, centering, and visualizing are foundational, and I think I’ve really strengthened these areas since January. Sometimes I falter, and emotional upsets crack the shell I wrap myself in each morning, but on a whole, it always makes me feel confident and strong.

My new oak leaf and Herkimer diamond pendant from Stellar Creations.

For the last few weeks, my work within Trance 1 and Magic 2 of ADF’s study programs has heavily revolved around creating talismans. It just happened that way, and it’s helped me jump back into the practice after stumbling in my routines around December. One talisman was for a friend. The other, a custom-made oak leaf pendant with Herkimer diamond, is for myself. It was lovingly crafted by the local artist of Stellar Creations. I highly recommend her work, and she put a lot of love and meditation into it. I could definitely feel the energy upon receiving the pendant.

I had been meaning to consecrate a creativity talisman for some time – ever since I started Trance 1 and Magic 2, actually. It seemed like the perfect working given my many talents and hobbies. In addition to sewing and crochet, I recently delved back into creative writing. Since November, I’ve been working on a novel, something I haven’t done since I was in high school. It’s still a work in progress, but I’m having so much fun.* And no, I’m not ready to discuss the plot!

I’m a big believer in mental keys. The smell of incense relaxes my nerves and tells me that it’s time to meditate or ritualize. Yoga poses signal my body to relax and heal. Certain pieces of clothing and jewelry can also help us to access parts of our brain, inner realms, or spirit allies. Ideally, we can grow beyond the need of such talismans, but they are extremely useful to me as a harried mother who works full-time outside of the home… Sometimes I feel too mired in the demands of this realm, so these tools help me relax, let go, and, in the case of my oak leaf charm, focus on my creativity.

*Someday, I will write about how writing has become a form of trance for me…